Knitted fabric and method



' Nov. 18, 1941.

W. L. SMITH, JR

KNITTED FABRIC AND METHOD Filed Dec. 18, 1940 Anzac.

/o HHIHIIIHIHHHllllllllllllflllvI @VSM , MV1/V701? Pil/WML Patented Nov.18, 1941 s PATENT OFFICE.

` 2,263,523 KNrr'rEn FABRIC AND METHOD william L. smith, Jr., Pawtucket,n. I.. assigner to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. I., a corporationof Massachusetts Application December 18, 1940, Serial No. 370,614

8 Claims.

open construction than would actually be the Case;

Fig. 2 shows the fabric more as it would appear after being cast fromthe machine. or after the elastic yarn has contracted to some extent;and

Fig. 3 is a view showing a ladies full length stocking to which theinvention has been applied.

For certain purposes such as in knitting a stretch zone in the knee ofladies hosiery, a fabric is desirable which lwill have inherent thereina relatively great amount of longitudinal stretch in addition toconsiderable lateral stretch. These stockings are of sheer material andsubject to runs starting at the knee. Many different constructions havebeen suggested, most of which are more extensible in a lateral directionthan they are longitudinally or in a direction of the wales. Obviouslystrain at such a section tends to elongate the fabric much more than toextend it laterally. The fabric herein disclosed has relatively greatlongitudinal extension possible, in many instances the stretch beingthree or more times the original length of the particular section offabric inserted for the purpose. Normally these are about an inch longand are located just above the knee. If

such a zone of an inch in length can be stretched to three or fourinches without undue effort, it serves very effectively` to prevent runswhich are caused by strain only.

Referring to Fig. 1 the article of hosiery is knitted to include a weltor other hem structure having a last course A whereupon an elastic yarn'Ivill be introduced to the needles, being knitted on all needles for acourse B, this being a preferred form of starting. Thereafter .thiselastic yarn, preferably to be fed as will be described more fully, isknitted along with an inelastic yarn which may be the same yarn as wasknitted in course A or may be a different yarn substituted therefor. Adifferent yarn is illustrated inthis case and is indicated by numeral 2being fed at the course C. 'I'his yarn 2 is fed to alternate needlesonly and thus knits knitted stitches in each Wale.

in what I term alternate Wales. It is actually drawn into knittedstitches at the wales 3, 4, 5, etc. At the next course D the elasticyarn is fed to all needles and is actually drawn into This yarn is drawnthrough the inelastic yarn stitches previously mentioned as being drawnat wales 3, 4, 5, etc. of course C. In the intermediate wales such as 8and 1, this elastic yarn is drawn through the last drawn stitches of theelastic yarn I. In other words, in the alternate wales, elastic yarnstitches are drawn throughinelastic loops in course C while in theintermediate wales, they are drawn through elastic yarn stitches incourse B. i Y

Now in lcourse E the yarn 2 is again drawn as it was in course C, thatis, it is knitted at wales 3, 4, 5 and all alternate wales. In course Fthe elastic yarn is again drawn as at course D, the result being thatstitches of elastic and inelastic yarn alternate ln alternate waleswhile in intermediate wales, the elastic yarn is drawn through otherstitches of elastic yarn. Floats 8 of inelastic yarn pass behind theelastic yarn stitches in the intermediate wales. This scheme is carriedon throughout any desired length until a suitable stretch zone has beenknitted, the extent depending upon the amount of elasticity ultimatelydesired, appearance and other factors.

The elastic is fed under tension, but preferably under as light knittingtension as is commercially practicable. According to the particularmethod of knitting, elastic loops are more numerous than inelastic yarnloops and by an inspection of the courses D and F, it can be seen thatextensibility of the fabric in a lengthwise direction is only limited bythe elasticity of the yarn itself. That factor is controllable as iswell-knownand covered elastic yarns may be obtained which have almostany extensibility practical for use. While a l x 1 arrangement ofcourses and wales has been described herein, that is not the only schemewhich may be employed since I may knit other arrangements of wales suchas 2 x 2, Z x 1 or any other scheme depending upon the appearancedesired, the amount of elastic material considered advisable and otherconsiderations. Two courses of elastic yarn may be knitted for eachcourse of inelastic or vice versa or still greater numbers of courses ofone material with respect to the other may b'e found practical forcertain purposes. The general appearance of the fabric will be that vofa ribbed construction and'this ribbed appearance may be varied bytucking or by varying the wales and courses at certain points or areasin the zone knitted to contain elastic material.

When released from the machine the elastic naturally contracts to someextent depending upon the amount of tension under which it wasincorporated, but preferably, it is knitted looselyenough so that thestitches are only shortened, that is, they are not allowed to straightenout or disappear in the finished product. The short elastic stitches inthe wales 3, 4, 5, etc. do draw up so that they tend to disappear asindependent loops, however, in the intermediate wales 6 and 1,independent loops are retained and are of appreciable length as in Fig.2.

Referring to Fig. 3, a stocking is shown having a top or welt 9, anelastic stretch zone I0, leg Il and a foot l2. This stocking isincidentally of the type knitted on circular seamless machines, but theinvention is equally applicable to fullfashioned stockings such asknitted on flat type machines. The zone l is preferably located abovethe knee, although its position may be varied to some extent. The samemay be replaced by two or more zones of lesser length, although eachindividual zone is to be knitted according to the method hereinbeforedescribed. In such instances the appearance of the fabric may beslightly better if more but shorter zones are employed. The tendency ofthe fabric to distort due to the contraction of the elastic and thevariations in appearance are minimized.

The fabric may be knitted according to any method or on any machine suchas might usually be employed for knitting hosiery, but one method `willbe described as applied to circular independent needle machines.Preferably a machine is employed having two feeding stations at one ofwhich, what I will call the main feeding station, an elastic yarn suchas the elastic yarn I is to be fed. At that station other yarns are alsofed to the needles, for example, yarns knitted throughout the top, legand foot of the article of hosiery. At another or auxiliary feedingstation spaced from the so-called main yarn feeding station, aninelastic yarn such as the yarn 2 is fed, there being provided acontrolling means for moving a yarn feeding mechanism to and fromfeeding relation with needles as described. l

Since all needles take the lelastic yarn and knit oi at the main feedingstation, no needle dividing or other selection for that particularpurpose 'will be found necessary at that point. However, at theauxiliary side of the machine a needle division is effected so that theinelastic yarn may be fed into the'hooks of alternate or other spacedneedles While being floated behind those needles intervening. This ispreferably accomplished by some sort of needle dividing cam working onjacks or possibly directly upon needle butts. In some instancesselecting means as for pattern purposes may be employed in thisfunction. These dividing cams or selecting means are well-known in theart and need no illustration or further description at this point.Needles which are to take 'the yarn as the yarn 2 are merely raised toagreater height than those needles intermediate which do not take theyarn and it is only the needles raised to said greater height which havetheir latches cleared. All needles clear their latches prior toapproaching the main feeding station as theytake the elastic has been`knitted, the elastic is withdrawn and knitting then continues with theinelastic yarn, preferably a yarn fed generally throughout the leg ofthe stocking or other article of hosiery. At that time the inelasticyarn -fed at the auxiliary side is preferably withdrawn and the needledividing or other selecting means rendered temporarily inactive at thatside of the machine.

The invention has been described with respect to one preferredembodiment and one example has been given of a particular use therefor.Applicant is not to be limited thereby but the fabric is to be used forother purposes if desired such as for elastic material as employedthroughout the garment industries, such uses being too numerous toattempt to mention in full here. The invention is dened in the appendedclaims.

I claim: y

l. A knitted fabric having in combination elastic and inelastic yarnsknitted alternately in consecutive courses, said elastic yarn beingknitted in all wales, said inelastic yarn being knitted in spaced walesonly and being formed as independent stitches drawn through the elasticyarn stitches.

2. A knitted fabric having in combination courses knitted from elasticand inelastic yarns, said elastic yarn being knitted in alternatecourses and in all wales in each of said courses, said inelastic yarnbeing drawn into knitted stitches at spaced wales only and oated overintermediate wales and drawing said spaced wales together laterally,said yarn being knitted independently of the elastic yarn so thatalternate courses are entirely of elastic thereby to increase thelongitudinal stretch of the fabric.

3. A knitted fabric having elastic and inelastic yarns knitted inconsecutive courses, thesaid courses of elastic yarn alternating withcourses of inelastic yarn, the elastic yarn being drawn into knittedstitches at each wale of the fabric while the inelastictyarn is drawninto independent knitted stitches at alternate wales only and floatsover the elastic yarn stitches of the intermediate wales whereby inalternate wales independent elastic and inelastic yarn stitchesalternate and intermediate wales are comprised of elastic yarn stitchesonly.

4. In an article of hosiery a section of fabric adapted to impartlongitudinal stretch to said hosiery including in combination elasticand inelastic yarns knitted alternately in consecutive courses, saidelastic yarn being knitted in all wales, said inelastic yarn beingknitted in spaced wales only and independently of the elastic yarn.

5. In an article of hosiery a section of fabric adapted to impartlongitudinal stretch to said hosiery including in combination coursesknitted from elastic and inelastic yarns, said elastic yarn beingknitted in alternate courses and in all wales in each of said courses,said inelastic yarn being drawn into knitted stitches at spaced walesonly and floated over intermediate wales and the said courses ofelasticyarn alternating with courses of inelastic yarn, the elastic yarnbeing drawn into knitted stitches at each wale of the fabric iwhile theinelastic yarn is drawn into independent knitted stitches at alternatewales only and fioats over the elastic yarn stitches of the intermediatewales whereby in alternate wales independent elastic and inelastic yamstitches alternate and intermediate wales are comprised of elastic yarnstitches only.

7. A method of knitting an elastic fabric including as steps the feedingof elastic and inelastic yarns and knitting said yarns by drawing theminto independently formed stitches in alternate courses of a fabric, sofeeding and knitting the elastic yarn as to draw it into knittedstitches at each Wale and said inelastic yarn as to form loops thereofat alternate wales while floating it over intermediate wales.

8. A method of knitting an elastic fabric '1ncluding as steps thefeeding of elastic and inelastic yarns and knitting said yarns bydrawing them into independently formed stitches in spaced courses of thefabric, and by so feeding and knitting the elastic yarn as tc draw itinto stitches at each Wale, but knitting said inelastic yarn in such amanner as to form loops thereof at wales spaced by intervening wales,the said yarn being oated over those intervening wales.

WILLIAM L. SMITH, JR.

